按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and ready to prove himself of sterling ability。 Sharply as he was
capable at times of analysing； as he called it； his life； there
were happy hours when he remained； as he also called it … and as
the name； really； of their right ideal … 〃jolly〃 superficial； the
proof of which was his fundamental assumption that he should
presently go to Oxford； to Pemberton's college； and； aided and
abetted by Pemberton； do the most wonderful things。 It depressed
the young man to see how little in such a project he took account
of ways and means： in other connexions he mostly kept to the
measure。 Pemberton tried to imagine the Moreens at Oxford and
fortunately failed； yet unless they were to adopt it as a residence
there would be no modus vivendi for Morgan。 How could he live
without an allowance； and where was the allowance to come from？
He； Pemberton； might live on Morgan； but how could Morgan live on
HIM？ What was to become of him anyhow？ Somehow the fact that he
was a big boy now； with better prospects of health； made the
question of his future more difficult。 So long as he was markedly
frail the great consideration he inspired seemed enough of an
answer to it。 But at the bottom of Pemberton's heart was the
recognition of his probably being strong enough to live and not yet
strong enough to struggle or to thrive。 Morgan himself at any rate
was in the first flush of the rosiest consciousness of adolescence；
so that the beating of the tempest seemed to him after all but the
voice of life and the challenge of fate。 He had on his shabby
little overcoat； with the collar up； but was enjoying his walk。
It was interrupted at last by the appearance of his mother at the
end of the sala。 She beckoned him to come to her； and while
Pemberton saw him； complaisant； pass down the long vista and over
the damp false marble； he wondered what was in the air。 Mrs。
Moreen said a word to the boy and made him go into the room she had
quitted。 Then； having closed the door after him； she directed her
steps swiftly to Pemberton。 There was something in the air； but
his wildest flight of fancy wouldn't have suggested what it proved
to be。 She signified that she had made a pretext to get Morgan out
of the way； and then she enquired … without hesitation … if the
young man could favour her with the loan of three louis。 While；
before bursting into a laugh； he stared at her with surprise； she
declared that she was awfully pressed for the money； she was
desperate for it … it would save her life。
〃Dear lady； c'est trop fort！〃 Pemberton laughed in the manner and
with the borrowed grace of idiom that marked the best colloquial；
the best anecdotic； moments of his friends themselves。 〃Where in
the world do you suppose I should get three louis； du train dont
vous allez？〃
〃I thought you worked … wrote things。 Don't they pay you？〃
〃Not a penny。〃
〃Are you such a fool as to work for nothing？〃
〃You ought surely to know that。〃
Mrs。 Moreen stared； then she coloured a little。 Pemberton saw she
had quite forgotten the terms … if 〃terms〃 they could be called …
that he had ended by accepting from herself； they had burdened her
memory as little as her conscience。 〃Oh yes； I see what you mean …
you've been very nice about that； but why drag it in so often？〃
She had been perfectly urbane with him ever since the rough scene
of explanation in his room the morning he made her accept HIS
〃terms〃 … the necessity of his making his case known to Morgan。
She had felt no resentment after seeing there was no danger Morgan
would take the matter up with her。 Indeed； attributing this
immunity to the good taste of his influence with the boy； she had
once said to Pemberton 〃My dear fellow； it's an immense comfort
you're a gentleman。〃 She repeated this in substance now。 〃Of
course you're a gentleman … that's a bother the less！〃 Pemberton
reminded her that he had not 〃dragged in〃 anything that wasn't
already in as much as his foot was in his shoe； and she also
repeated her prayer that； somewhere and somehow； he would find her
sixty francs。 He took the liberty of hinting that if he could find
them it wouldn't be to lend them to HER … as to which he
consciously did himself injustice； knowing that if he had them he
would certainly put them at her disposal。 He accused himself； at
bottom and not unveraciously； of a fantastic； a demoralised
sympathy with her。 If misery made strange bedfellows it also made
strange sympathies。 It was moreover a part of the abasement of
living with such people that one had to make vulgar retorts； quite
out of one's own tradition of good manners。 〃Morgan； Morgan； to
what pass have I come for you？〃 he groaned while Mrs。 Moreen
floated voluminously down the sala again to liberate the boy；
wailing as she went that everything was too odious。
Before their young friend was liberated there came a thump at the
door communicating with the staircase； followed by the apparition
of a dripping youth who poked in his head。 Pemberton recognised
him as the bearer of a telegram and recognised the telegram as
addressed to himself。 Morgan came back as； after glancing at the
signature … that of a relative in London … he was reading the
words： 〃Found a jolly job for you； engagement to coach opulent
youth on own terms。 Come at once。〃 The answer happily was paid
and the messenger waited。 Morgan； who had drawn near； waited too
and looked hard at Pemberton； and Pemberton； after a moment； having
met his look； handed him the telegram。 It was really by wise looks
… they knew each other so well now … that； while the telegraph…boy；
in his waterproof cape； made a great puddle on the floor； the thing
was settled between them。 Pemberton wrote the answer with a pencil
against the frescoed wall； and the messenger departed。 When he had
gone the young man explained himself。
〃I'll make a tremendous charge； I'll earn a lot of money in a short
time； and we'll live on it。〃
〃Well； I hope the opulent youth will be a dismal dunce … he
probably will … 〃 Morgan parenthesised … 〃and keep you a long time
a…hammering of it in。〃
〃Of course the longer he keeps me the more we shall have for our
old age。〃
〃But suppose THEY don't pay you！〃 Morgan awfully suggested。
〃Oh there are not two such … ！〃 But Pemberton pulled up； he had
been on the point of using too invidious a term。 Instead of this
he said 〃Two such fatalities。〃
Morgan flushed … the tears came to his eyes。 〃Dites toujours two
such rascally crews！〃 Then in a different tone he added： 〃Happy
opulent youth！〃
〃Not if he's a dismal dunce。〃
〃Oh they're happier then。 But you can't have everything； can you？〃
the boy smiled。
Pemberton held him fast； hands on his shoulders … he had never
loved him so。 〃What will become of you； what will you do？〃 He
thought of Mrs。 Moreen； desperate for sixty francs。
〃I shall become an homme fait。〃 And then as